By Daniel Watkis, Customer Empowerment Lead
For schools considering a move to the cloud, one of the first questions we’re usually asked is: “When is the best time to migrate?”
Most people instinctively answer the summer holidays. On the surface, it makes sense. Fewer users, quieter buildings, and the feeling that disruption will be kept to a minimum.
But in reality, summer is not always the safest or most effective time to migrate, and in many cases, it can actually introduce more risk rather than less.
Why Summer Feels Like the Obvious Choice
It’s easy to understand why summer migrations are appealing. With students off site and fewer staff around, schools often assume that:
- Day‑to‑day teaching won’t be affected
- Staff won’t be interrupted by system changes
- IT teams can “get everything done” before the new term
However, cloud migrations are not just technical exercises. They are people‑led projects, and that’s where summer can fall short.
The Hidden Risks of Summer Migrations
When staff and students aren’t available, core aspects of a migration become much harder to validate properly.
During summer:
- Data can be migrated, but not truly verified
- Permissions can be set, but not signed off by the right people
- Workflows can be designed, but not tested in real teaching scenarios
Issues often remain hidden until September. At that point, schools are back at full capacity, pressure is high, and any problems discovered have a direct impact on teaching and learning.
Fixing issues during the first weeks of term is usually far more disruptive than addressing them earlier with users involved.
Why Migrations Work Better When People Are Present
Based on experience, migrations tend to be more successful when staff are still actively using the systems being migrated.
When people are available:
- Data can be checked and validated by those who know it best
- Access and permissions can be confirmed quickly
- Feedback can be gathered early and adjustments made before small issues become major frustrations
This kind of real‑world testing is impossible to replicate when systems are migrated in isolation. Having users present helps ensure that what’s delivered actually works for the school.
What About Disruption During Term Time?
It’s true that migrating during term time may cause some short‑term disruption. Change always does.
However, this disruption is usually:
- Planned
- Communicated clearly
This is very different from discovering critical issues after a summer migration, when teaching is already underway and there is little room to manoeuvre. In most cases, schools find that planned disruption is far easier to manage than unexpected disruption.
When a Summer Migration Does Make Sense
There is one scenario where summer can be a sensible option.
If your school is already fully on Microsoft 365 and is:
- Extending into additional cloud services
- Optimising existing M365 tools
- Making configuration or security improvements
These projects are typically lighter touch, involve fewer moving parts, and don’t represent a fundamental change in how staff work day-to-day. In these cases, the reduced activity during the summer can be an advantage.
When Summer Is the Wrong Choice
If you are migrating from another platform, such as Google Workspace, summer is generally not recommended.
These migrations involve:
- Significant changes to how staff and students work
- New interfaces, tools, and processes
- A greater need for user input, testing, and feedback
Without staff available, it’s difficult to ensure the migration truly meets the school’s needs. These projects benefit enormously from having people on hand to test data, validate access, and adapt ways of working in real time.
Plan Around People, Not Just the Calendar
The most successful migrations aren’t driven purely by dates. They are driven by:
- Availability
- Communication
- Support
A well‑planned migration with people present will almost always outperform a “quiet” migration where no one is around to test or validate the outcome.
Final Thoughts
Choosing the right time to migrate isn’t about finding the least busy period, it’s about creating the best conditions for success.
If you’re unsure when the right time is for your school or trust, speaking to a specialist early can help you avoid unnecessary risk, reduce disruption, and make sure your migration delivers long‑term value rather than short‑term convenience.